The verdict in three sentences
Shopify is excellent for starting fast, but its $29 to $299/month plus fees model and third-party mobile money penalise high-volume African merchants. A custom platform integrates MoMo and M-Pesa natively, with no platform commission and no dollar subscription dependency. The economic tipping point sits around 2 to 3 million FCFA of monthly sales: beyond that, custom becomes cheaper over three years.
Shopify vs custom: the 2026 head-to-head
The two approaches differ not on quality but on the economic model and payment control. Here is the 2026 comparison.
| Criterion | Shopify | Custom Kolonell |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $29-299/month | Hosting 25,000-75,000 FCFA |
| Native mobile money | Via third-party apps | MoMo + M-Pesa built in |
| Platform transaction fee | 0.5-2 % outside Shopify Payments | 0 % |
| Subscription currency | Dollars | FCFA |
| Deep customisation | Theme-limited | Total |
| Code ownership | No | Yes |
Shopify bills in dollars and adds a commission if you do not use Shopify Payments (unavailable in several African markets). Custom removes both frictions.
Total cost over 3 years
The gap widens over time. Take a merchant at 2,500,000 FCFA in monthly sales and compare cumulative three-year cost (2026 order of magnitude).
| Item | Shopify (Basic+) | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Initial build | 0 | 2,000,000 - 3,000,000 FCFA |
| 36-month subscription | ~1,300,000 FCFA | 0 |
| Mobile money apps | ~700,000 FCFA | 0 |
| Platform fees (0.5-2 %) | ~900,000 - 1,800,000 FCFA | 0 |
| 36-month hosting | Included | ~1,800,000 FCFA |
| 3-year total | ~2,900,000 - 3,800,000 FCFA | ~3,800,000 - 4,800,000 FCFA |
Under 2 million FCFA/month, Shopify is often cheaper. Above 3 million FCFA/month, the absence of platform commission tips the balance to custom by year two.
Become a Kolonell referral partner
Know merchants torn between Shopify and a local solution? The Kolonell referral partner program pays you for every signed project. Here are the 2026 rates.
Need a professional website?
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| Pillar | Sale commission | Recurring |
|---|---|---|
| Showcase site | 15 % | 5 % |
| E-commerce | 12 % | - |
| Marketplace | 10 % | - |
| Institutional | 8 % | - |
On a custom e-commerce store sold at 2,500,000 FCFA, your referral commission reaches 300,000 FCFA. No commitment: you introduce, we quote and deliver.
Mini case study
Adama, who runs a sneaker store in Dakar, sells 3,200,000 FCFA/month on Shopify Basic. He pays ~$40/month subscription, ~15,000 FCFA in mobile money apps and 1.5 % platform fees, roughly 75,000 FCFA/month in Shopify costs. Over three years that is 2,700,000 FCFA. A custom build at 2,400,000 FCFA with hosting would, over the same period, already have saved money while giving him native MoMo and M-Pesa plus code ownership.
FAQ
Does Shopify handle MoMo and M-Pesa? Only through third-party apps or gateways, with extra fees and a less fluid checkout. Custom integrates mobile money natively.
At what volume does custom become profitable? The tipping point sits around 2 to 3 million FCFA of monthly sales. Beyond that, no platform commission offsets the initial build.
Does Shopify bill in dollars? Yes, the subscription is in dollars ($29 to $299/month), exposing you to FX risk. Custom is paid and maintained in FCFA.
How much does a referral partner earn on a store? For e-commerce the commission is 12 % of the sale, i.e. 300,000 FCFA on a 2,500,000 FCFA store.
Can I migrate from Shopify to custom without losing SEO? Yes, with a 301 redirect plan and catalogue migration. We preserve ranking URLs and improve speed.
Let's talk about your project. We calculate your Shopify vs custom tipping point with hard numbers. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.